Report: Luck allowed by Colts to keep $24.8 million

Following his abrupt retirement at the age of 29 Saturday night, the Indianapolis Colts will not take back any of the $24.8 million they are allowed to recoup according to Adam Schefter of NFL.com.

TSN.ca Staff

Andrew Luck
, The Canadian Press

Following his abrupt retirement at the age of 29 Saturday night, the Indianapolis Colts will not take back any of the $24.8 million they are allowed to recoup according to Adam Schefter of NFL.com.

"The Colts essentially are telling Luck to keep it all, even though it is within their right to reclaim the money," Schefter writes, adding terms were agreed to late last week.

According to Schefter, Luck could have owed the Colts a pro-rated $12.8 million of his $31 million signing bonus Indianapolis gave him when he signed his extension in 2016. They also could have recouped a $12 million roster bonus he was paid in March of this year.

"I'm in pain, I'm still in pain. It's been four years of this pain, rehab cycle," Luck said of his decision Saturday night. "It's a myriad of issues — calf strain, posterior ankle impingement, high ankle sprain. Part of my journey going forward will be figuring out how to feel better."

"There's no doubt when you hear him talk about the cycle of pain and injury and rehab, you can hear that," head coach Frank Reich said. "There's a saying in football that everyone knows and everybody lives by, it's next man up and even though this situation is unique, no one is exempt."

Luck finishes his career in Indy with a record of 53-33 in the regular season. He's thrown for a total of 23,671 yards and 171 touchdowns compared to 83 interceptions.

The Colts are now expected to turn to quarterback Jacoby Brissett to lead the franchise. They will open the regular season against the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sept. 8.